At the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Oswald employees carefully stacked food items to fit in boxes and trays just before the food went out to help those in need.
On Nov. 13, 50 team members from Cleveland Browns corporate partner Oswald volunteered as part of a First and Ten volunteer opportunity, which provided them a chance to give back to the Cleveland community.
"At Oswald, our commitment to community is more than a value – it's a way of life," President of Oswald Companies Jessica Jung said. "Our employee-owners are the heartbeat of our organization, and their passion for giving back is what makes our culture so special. Participating in the Day of Caring at the Cleveland Food Bank is just one example of how we come together to support the communities that have supported us for more than 130 years. When our people and our communities thrive, we all move forward together."
The volunteers signed up for three different stations at the food bank. At these stations they helped repack food, package after-school meals for kids and prepped hot meals.
At the repack station, volunteers packed non-perishable items like cereal, juice and canned fruit. They put two of each item into a box, taped the box up and put it onto a pallet. The box was taken to the food bank's warehouse from the packing station, where the food will be taken to churches, senior centers and shelters to help those in need.
Ten volunteers at the Kids Café helped package both perishable and non-perishable meals for kids in after-school programs. Fruits and vegetables were included in both versions of the kids' meal, making sure eating healthy wouldn't be compromised.
At the third station, Oswald team members helped out prepping meals that people can heat up to have during the colder months. They worked together to portion and package the food, making sure each meal will offer warmth as the temperature drops.
"The Food Bank has been a partner of the Cleveland Browns for decades now because we value the work they do in the community," Browns Vice President of Community Relations Jenner Tekancic said. "We will do every single thing that we can do with our partners as an organization to make sure those individuals, those families and those children really have the support they need when it comes to hunger relief."
The collaboration between the Browns and Oswald showcased the strong network of local organizations committed to fighting food insecurity across Northeast Ohio. Both groups emphasized that community impact is built through teamwork. Fifty Oswald employees showcased that teamwork first-hand at the Greater Cleveland Food Bank by helping provide meals for those in need.
"November is our busiest time of year, and we live in a generous community, and it's been wonderful to us," CEO of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank Kristin Warzocha said. "The Browns stepped forward with a contribution as well as many others. We're really using those dollars to buy additional food beyond what we would normally buy to try and make sure all of our partners have the food that they need and when neighbors come in for help, there is food available."
